DSM is back - globally

       

Further reading

• Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive (32)
• US Congress Report on Energy Policy Act (25)

A few years ago when liberalisation of electricity markets gathered speed, many utilities withdrew their interest from DSM and all activities that were related to customers and efficient end-use. In Europe, they are coming back gradually, not least since the energy services directive so requires, but also to some extent since the positive values in marketing (and in ancillary services) have been discovered.

Now the U.S. Department of Energy has launched a report that has great similarities to the European directive. Instead of addressing governments of states they are addressing the regulators. In some states the DSM-activities has been continued for a long time with positive results. Washington State with Pacific North West is one of them.

In other parts of the world, the DSM-benefits are more obvious and especially in countries with fast-growing economies. Professor Uken from Cape Peninsula University in South Africa has even stated that: "Energy Efficiency used to be important to the customer - to save money, but is now important to the supplier - to be able to meet the growing demand."